Under the proposal, 5,500 private contractors, primarily former Special Operations troops, would advise Afghan combat forces. The plan also includes a 90-plane private air force that would provide air support in the nearly 16-year-old war against Taliban insurgents, Erik Prince, founder of the Blackwater security firm, told USA TODAY.

[…]

The plan remains under serious consideration within the White House despite misgivings by Trump’s national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, an Army three-star general, and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Other White House officials, such as chief strategist Stephen Bannon, appear open to using private contractors.

Prince claims that he can privatize the war in Afghanistan for $10 billion per year, significantly less than the $40 billion per year the military pays now.

Prince told USA Today that right now, President Trump “doesn’t own the Afghan effort yet” but that he will with “whatever decision he makes next.” This seems like an effective sales pitch to a businessman known for selling off his losses to some other suckers.

The contractors would wear the uniforms of the Afghan military and reportedly answer to the Afghan government when it comes to what military action they take.

Joshua M. Patton is a father, veteran, and writer living in Pittsburgh, PA. He has been writing professionally since 1996, and previous work can be found at www.joshuampatton.com. You can read his short story "Downtime Downrange" written for The War Writer's Campaign here: http://www.warwriterscampaign.org/#!authors/c24ib
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